Long-Range Professional Objectives. Why Have You Selected

¶ … long-range professional objectives. Why have you selected this career path? Be as specific as possible about the kinds of positions you seek. Include in this discussion the reasons you have chosen the particular program and major or concentration to which you have applied. What contributions do you expect to be able to make to your classes based on your academic and/or professional experiences?

My academic and professional experiences have led to my short-range goal of earning a Master of Taxation degree from Georgia State University. I wish to attend law school after completing my Master of taxation degree in order to become a tax attorney. Toward my short-range goal I have pursued academic interests, including math, my first major. While working as a manager at Best Buy during my undergraduate years, I became fascinated with business, however, and later changed my major to finance.

After taking my first accounting course for my finance major, I realized I was most interested in accounting. After graduation I accepted a full-time job as a tax analyst for Tax Partners L.L.C. Within a year I had been promoted to Senior Tax Analyst, responsible for accuracy of over 4000 sales and use tax returns per month, and for more than $250,000,000 in tax remittances per month, for some of Tax Partners' largest, most complicated clients.

At Tax Partners I have come to realize one can never know too much about taxation, a field in constant flux. Therefore I clearly recognize the enormous value of studying taxation. Earning a Master of Taxation degree would, I believe, also allow me to better reach my long-range goals, to finish law school and practice tax law.

If admitted to GSU's Master of Taxation Program, I could make valuable contributions to my classes -- due to both my academic background in math; finance, and accounting, and my work experience as an accountant and tax analyst. I have also recently started, along with my wife, a business called Peachy Clean, L.L.C. that became profitable in six months and is presently expanding. Therefore I believe my combined academic and work experience would make me to be a useful contributor to my classes.

2. Please provide any additional information about yourself that is not covered elsewhere in this application but that you believe is appropriate and relevant to the Master's Admissions Committee's evaluation of your application.

My professional achievements these past two years, including starting a small business while working full-time as a senior tax analyst; along with my experience in tax preparation; tax analysis, and management, at H & R. Block; Column Financial, and Best Buy combined, give me a useful background for graduate study in taxation. I have current senior-level tax experience and also have experience with day-to-day business management. Being an Atlanta native, and having parents and a sister who are GSU alumni, Georgia State is a family tradition I would like to continue.

My business experience and experience as a tax analyst will, I believe, help me contribute to my classes in ways different from students with less work experience. Since I would enter the graduate program after working full-time for in accounting, I also see real-life benefits to graduate study I might not have seen right after college graduation. Should I be accepted to Georgia State University's Master of Taxation Program, I would make the most of this educational and career-building opportunity.